


Asphyxiation

by PlasticMachine



Series: Whumptober2019 [19]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Ghost Dave Strider, Ghost John Egbert, M/M, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2020-11-28 20:47:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20972810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlasticMachine/pseuds/PlasticMachine
Summary: Dave is a ghost whose spirit is still lingering, he comes across a young man who peaks his interest and aims to learn just one thing about him. His name.





	Asphyxiation

Dave was floating around the streets, just lingering in the city.

His spirit couldn't find rest anywhere so he spent his days people watching and going wherever the breeze took him. Most days he was like a bird... but he always felt like a paper bag. 

Dave sighed. Air not leaving his lungs because he had none. 

He trailed into a record store, wanting to listen to the music on the speakers. 

Suddenly, he noticed a young man... looking to be about the age that Dave died. 

He was nodding to the beat off something on his head phones that he was sampling.

Bobbing his head back and forth with the rythmn. 

Dave swooped up right next to him to listen in.

A shiver of electricity went down the boys spine, but he laughed it off. Giggling at the feeling as he continued to listen to the drum beat and the piano dance together in a song.

Dave stared at him, watching him openly enjoy music enough to sing along to the lyrics in a quiet hum.

Dave almost felt like laughing... that was the most enjoyment that he felt since.... since... long before he died. 

Dave followed him, tracking him down as he went from place to place... Dave needed to know just one thing and he thinks that he would be content for a long while... _what is his name?_

Dave watched the young man step across the street and back over to his place, Dave thought twice about entering someone else's home. Since he was a ghost he wasn't really connected to the world any longer but it still felt... invasive is a nice word to put it. Creepy is a more accurate word.

So instead. Dave waited outside of his place. Waiting for him to leave so he could follow him again. He wanted to know the guy's name... he wanted to know why he was so cheerful and looked so sweet. 

The boy stepped outside again, wearing his own pair of headphones and dancing as he walked out into the hall and locked his apartment door. He sang along to his music and walked down the hall and down the stairs, into the streets. Dave followed every step, every head bob. Dave followed every moment, transfixed on the boy in front of him.

The young man continued walking. Tracking down the side walk and across the way. Seems like he was on his way to visit someone, he kept checking his phone as he danced to the music. 

He waited at the stop light and paid attention to the light, walking once it turned green as he bobbed his head to his music. Dave heard a car racing down the street, he lifted up his head to look. Noticing that a car was rapidly racing down the way. Others began to take notice, stepping out of the way a few short seconds before it got to the walk way. The car attempted to slow down once it got closer to the walk way. Others on the street gasped and watched in horror as the boy with the headphones was struck with out any forewarning from his perspective. Blood spurted onto the street and the impact left a dent in the middle of the car.

The boys body rose up, he was panting. He looked around. About ready to scream. He looked down at his hands, he kept dabbing his face and looking at his palms, no blood. He was palming his torso, seeing if he could feel pain. He can't... he's dead.

Dave flew over and asked him, "do you- do you need help?"

The boy looked up at Dave, completely at a loss for words.

* * *

It took several moments for the young stranger to calm down, even longer for him to actually speak.

Once he started talking he ask Dave for his name.

"Dave, yours?" He asked.

"John." The young man with the glasses replied.

Dave sighed, feeling a wave of euphoria wash over his soul.

"John." He repeated quietly. 

John spent several more moments talking to Dave about what he did during the afterlife, the other ghosts he's meet and how little they could interact with the physical world. John eventually got to the topic of death... asking how Dave died.

"Why go over that?" Dave asked solemnly. "Aren't you more worried about yourself right now?" 

"But... you've been so helpful..." John shakes his head. "I don't know what I would do if I didn't have someone helping me through this right now."

Dave smiled. John's eyes looked from Dave's smile down to his neck.

For some reason Dave had a few bruises surrounding his neck. 

"It's alright. Don't worry about it." Dave shrugged.

John lifted up a hand to touch his bruises, looking at how purple and blue they look. 

John lightly traced the edges of one the purple marks without thinking. He pulled his hand away.

"Oh- oh my god." John replied. "I am so sorry!"

"No. It's alright." Dave explained. "It's something the other ghosts around here and I noticed... it's like... in the afterlife we are all drawn to things and we mindlessly act on stuff that... feels important to us for some reason."

"Right." John nodded. "That... that makes sense." 

Dave smiled. "Hey. I know a music shop around here." He pointed his thumb out in it's direction. "You want to go listen to some beats?"

"Sure." John answered, he seemed happy to have a friend. 

Dave felt like he understood why he was drawn to this young man.

He felt... at peace by his side. 


End file.
